Pages

Thursday, 22 April 2010

1st April we arrived Langkawi and made fast to RLYC. By then I had already got sailing orders for Goa. I was picking up some stuff for the yacht, new fenders and fresh medicines. Lest we forget to get some bunkers onboard as well as fresh provisions. Saini was called back from vacation and on 9th we cast off RLYC and moved alongside the bunker barge. After bunkering I bid our agent, Nick Coombes, goodbye and headed west.

Asen and Rajaram on night before departure

First 3 days we're absolutely marvelous. The sea was most of the time mirror calm with only a small swell coming from south. We even sighted some whales with 4km of water beneath us. The usual flying fish accompanied us all the way and of course seagulls. As we we're going the shortest way and not via Andamans, as last year, we always had company by passing merchant ships on the AIS or visually. They we're headed either for Middle East or beyond Singapore.

Smooth sailing

When approaching the Sri Lankan south east coast we got a local low pressure system giving us overcast weather with accompanied rain showers and moderate seas, we were getting 20deg lists whilst rolling. Last day at sea before arriving Colombo was ok, Kalizma was pitching a bit and the swell was coming in from SW.

Local low pressure system pouring down rain

Approaching Sri Lanka and bad weather

Same as above on my radar

15th April early morning we approached Colombo and the day dawned to a yellow cloud of pollution over the capital of Sri Lanka.

Colombo port entrance

16th went provisioning and bunkering up in Colombo. We also got new sailing orders: Mumbai.

Morning 17th Upali had got our port clearance done and at 1100hrs I cast off Colombo and set my course for Mumbai. The weather was overcast with sunny patches.

In the night we got pretty strong thundershowers following us and we also got our share of torrential rain and lighting show. Gulf of Mannar can be bad at times but we got lucky as the winds missed us this time.

Sunrise over Cape Comorin

By 18th we were passing Richards homestead near Cape Comorin and the weather was still favoring us. Boys were washing up decks and superstructures. We also saw some whales leisurely swimming southwards.

19th to 21st we were sailing up the west coast of India and it mainly was good weather until evening 20th when we passed Vengurla. The weather turned a bit sour and we were pounding up against waves, wind and current. The nature was not making it easy for us to reach our destination. As the seas were relatively calm the fishermen were out en masse so we had to keep a keen lookout to avoid any critical situations.

Sunrise over west coast

21st afternoon I picked up pilot at 1440hrs and headed into Mumbai port. The pilot informed that the port was operating at security level 2 as the IPL finals were taking place in Mumbai this coming weekend. Apparently the powers to be weren't going to take any chances of a repeat Taj incident (2008). A week back there had been bomb blasts in Bangalore during the cricket match where 12 people was injured.

Mumbai skyline

Finally I dropped anchor in front of Gateway of India that was really jampacked with yachts. It would be high time Mumbai to develop a marina. So, thus our 13 days journey had come to an end.

Taj Hotel and Gateway of India

I was met by our agent Rami and Alam who came with the bureaucrat posse to clear us in the country. . .